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96.1 FM | 780 AM | Yours for Western AlaskaThu, 08 Dec 2016 03:00:08 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7http://www.knom.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cropped-KNOM-K-Logo-512px-square-32x32.jpgfry bread – KNOM Radio Missionhttp://www.knom.org/wp
323259285469My Year in Photoshttp://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2016/01/01/my-year-in-photos/
http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2016/01/01/my-year-in-photos/#commentsFri, 01 Jan 2016 18:48:49 +0000http://www.knom.org/wp/?p=20282Emily looks back at her year, which has been the toughest one yet, but also the most notable.]]>

By the time you read this, you’ll have rung in the New Year, pinned up a new calendar, and already corrected yourself a few times for dating things “2015” instead of “2016.”

But as I’m writing this, my calendar still shows the month of December. It’s December 31st to be exact. The sun has already set over the last day of the year, and with both the day and the year coming to a close, I’ve been busy reflecting on what kind of year it’s been.

I’d be lying if I told you it was an easy one. It wasn’t. In fact, it’s been the hardest one I’ve had, out of the 26 years I’ve been around. I’ll skip over the event in mid-January that made it the hardest one I’ve slogged through so far, but I’d also be lying if I told you this wasn’t the most accomplished year of my life. It was.

I moved back to Fairbanks and successfully completed my Master’s degree, I ran and skied farther and hiked higher than any other year, I moved to Nome to begin a career in radio journalism, and since that move have accomplished more than I ever could have imagined.

In between all that, I had a few more firsts, flights, and all-around fantastic experiences. So, here are just a few of the things I’ve done this year, captured in photos:

Moved from Anchorage to Fairbanks to finish my Master’s thesis and earn my degree:

Road to Fairbanks. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Watched the start of the Iditarod on the Chena River in Fairbanks:

Iditarod start on Chena River. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Completed the 25k Oosik Classic Race in Talkeetna and had the best weekend of the year with my best bud/bunny Britta:

Pre-25k Oosik. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Celebrated the 4th of July along Anchorage’s Rabbit Creek Trail:

Rabbit Creek on July 4th. Photo: Zachariah Hughes

Survived our first village trip, which included stops in Kotzebue and Point Hope:

First village trip. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Picked enough berries to go with my granola and yogurt every single morning (maybe the year’s biggest accomplishment, now that I think of it):

Berry picking along Nome-Teller Road. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Went bird hunting, realizing guns aren’t so bad if you’re using them to put food on the table:

Bird hunting. Photo: Mitch Borden/KNOM

Hiked the Seward Peninsula’s second tallest mountain, 3870, with Britta on her visit to Nome:

View from 3870. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Spent the afternoon on a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter anchored off Nome’s coast for a news story:

Photo: Matt Culley

Hiked Anvil Mountain, on the outskirts of Nome, more times than I can count:

Anvil Mountain. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Went snow machining in pursuit of ptarmigan:

Took the lady vols on a Thanksgiving ski:

Ski on Thanksgiving. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Ran and ran and ran:

Winter running. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Made fry bread for the first time:

Fry bread. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Ran some more, and saw some beautiful sights:

View along Nome’s seawall. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Celebrated Christmas with fellow vols in matching Bering Air hoodies:

Vols on Christmas morning. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

Skied out to dredge five with temporarily adopted dog/perfect specimen Lucy:

Lucy and the Dredge. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

And rounded out the year with another ski around the dredge:

New Years Eve ski. Photo: Emily Russell/KNOM

While the accomplishments of the past year will be hard to beat, I’m looking forward to a fresh start and a few more firsts before my time in Nome is up.